Seminoles and Tigers tangle in ACC affair

Mar 4, 2012 - 3:57 PM
Tallahassee, FL (Sports Network) - The 22nd-ranked Florida State Seminoles
will close out their season as they host the Clemson Tigers at the Donald L.
Tucker Center for an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup.

Clemson will be looking to sweep the season series with the Seminoles after it
earned dominated Florida State to pick up a 79-59 victory in the first matchup
on Jan. 7. The Seminoles will be protecting their 30-28 lead in the all-time
series.

The Tigers have won five of their last six games to improve to 16-13 overall
with an 8-7 mark in ACC action. Clemson is tied for fifth-place in the league
standings with Virginia and NC State after its 58-56 victory over Virginia
Tech on Thursday. Coach Brad Brownell will need his team to improve its
outside and free-throw shooting before the ACC Tournament, as it went 0-of-10
from beyond the arc and converted only 14-of-25 from the charity stripe in
their win over the Hokies. Clemson is a very good team defensively, as they
average just 59.7 ppg, which is the second best allowed average in the ACC.

Clemson will look to the trio of Andre Young, Tanner Smith, and Devin Booker
to guide it to its fourth straight victory. Young is leading the team with
13.2 ppg. The senior guard finished with 10 points his last time out. Smith
led the team with 14 points including the game-winning foul shots on Thursday
in the win over Virginia Tech. Booker is adding 10.7 points and a team-high
6.9 boards per game to provide inside toughness.

Florida State ended its two-game losing steak on Thursday as it downed the
Virginia Cavaliers, 63-60, with yet another buzzer beating three-pointer. Head
coach Leonard Hamilton's team has locked up third place in the ACC regardless
of the outcome in today's game. FSU struggled with its outside shooting
during its two-game losing streak, as it made just 9-of-38 from beyond the arc
and only 21-of-38 from the foul line during the two-game span. The Seminoles
bounced back and drained 7-of-16 from deep, including a top-ten game-winner by
Ian Miller, versus Virginia on Thursday. The Seminoles are outscoring their
opponents by an average of 7.6 ppg this season.

The Seminoles are led by Michael Snaer. The junior shooting guard leads the
team with 13.8 ppg after he was held to 12 points by Virginia on Thursday.
Most coaches would love to have a guy like Snaer on their team in the final
minutes of games as he has been clutch this season, draining game- winning
three- pointers to help FSU defeat Duke and Virginia Tech. However, the
Cavaliers suspected Snaer would be getting the ball in the final seconds of
their tied up contest. With Snaer being denied the ball, Ian Miller launched a
contested three-pointer which dropped in and gave FSU much needed momentum as
it nears the ACC Tournament. Bernard James, Okara White, and Bernard Gibson
all play vital roles for FSU as well. James is grabbing 8.2 boards per game.